ASTM C1202 Research Articles

RILEM TC 247-DTA round robin test: sulfate resistance, alkali-silica reaction and freeze\u2013thaw resistance of alkali-activated concretes

The RILEM technical committee TC 247-DTA ‘Durability Testing of Alkali-Activated Materials’ conducted a round robin testing programme to determine the validity of various durability testing methods, originally developed for Portland cement based-concretes, for the assessment of the durability of alkali-activated concretes. The outcomes of the round robin tests evaluating sulfate resistance, alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and freeze–thaw resistance are presented in this contribution. Five different alkali-activated concretes, based on ground granulated blast furnace slag, fly ash, or metakaolin were investigated. The extent of sulfate damage to concretes based on slag or fly ash seems to be limited when exposed to an Na2SO4 solution. The mixture based on metakaolin showed an excessive, very early expansion, followed by a dimensionally stable period, which cannot be explained at present. In the slag-based concretes, MgSO4 caused more expansion and visual damage than Na2SO4; however, the expansion limits defined in the respective standards were not exceeded. Both the ASTM C1293 and RILEM AAR-3.1 test methods for the determination of ASR expansion appear to give essentially reliable identification of expansion caused by highly reactive aggregates. Alkali-activated materials in combination with an unreactive or potentially expansive aggregate were in no case seen to cause larger expansions; only the aggregates of known very high reactivity were seen to be problematic. The results of freeze–thaw testing (with/without deicing salts) of alkali-activated concretes suggest an important influence of the curing conditions and experimental conditions on the test outcomes, which need to be understood before the tests can be reliably applied and interpreted.

Flexural toughness of sustainable ECC with high-volume substitution of cement and silica sand

This study explores the effects of high-content fly ash and limestone filler partial replacement for portland cement and silica sand, respectively on the flexural toughness parameters of engineered cementitious composites (ECC). Various groups of mixtures having variable fly ash/portland cement ratio and different levels of limestone filler were prepared. ASTM C1609, JSCE-SF4 and the Post-Crack Strength method were employed to appraise the flexural toughness parameters of the ECC mixtures at 3, 28 and 90-d. The results show that according to ASTM C1609, JSCE-SF4 and the Post-Crack Strength method, limestone filler did not significantly affect the flexural toughness, while the flexural toughness of ECC beams decreased when the fly ash content increased. Considering deflection capacity, specimens made with a FA/OPC ratio of 1.2 without limestone filler achieved higher ductility at all curing ages. Owing to its superior crack resistance and toughness compared to normal concrete, ECC with high fly ash content and limestone filler could be a sustainable alternative construction material in diverse civil engineering applications. ECC with enhanced ductility compared to normal concrete could offer increased crack resistance, durability and better resilience.

Flexural design of precast, prestressed ultra-high-performance concrete members

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is a special concrete mixture with outstanding mechanical and durability characteristics. It is a mixture of portland cement, supplementary cementitious materials, sand, and high-strength, high-aspect-ratio microfibers. In this paper, the authors propose flexural design guidelines for precast, prestressed concrete members made with concrete mixtures developed by precasters to meet minimum specific characteristics qualifying it to be called PCI-UHPC. Minimum specified cylinder strength is 10 ksi (69 MPa) at prestress release and 18 ksi (124 MPa) at the time the member is placed in service, typically 28 days. Minimum flexural cracking and tensile strengths of 1.5 and 2 ksi (10 and 14 MPa), respectively, according to ASTM C1609 testing specifications are required. In addition, strain-hardening and ductility requirements are specified. Tensile properties are shown to be more important for structural optimization than cylinder strength. Both building and bridge products are considered because the paper is focused on capacity rather than demand. Both service limit state and strength limit state are covered. When the contribution of fibers to capacity should be included and when they may be ignored is shown. It is further shown that the traditional equivalent rectangular stress block in compression can still be used to produce satisfactory results in prestressed concrete members. A spreadsheet workbook is offered online as a design tool. It is valid for multilayers of concrete of different strengths, rows of reinforcing bars of different grades, and prestressing strands. It produces moment-curvature diagrams and flexural capacity at ultimate strain. A fully worked-out example of a 250 ft (76.2 m) span decked I-beam of optimized shape is given.

Experimental study on partial replacement of cement by metakaolin and GGBS

The use of cement in construction industry increases the emission of CO2 is decreased by the use of additives in place of cement. Ground granulated blast furnace slag is obtained by quenching molten iron slag from a blast furnace in water is then dried and ground into a fine powder which is highly cementitious an high in CSH (calcium silicate hydrates) which increases strength and durability of concrete. Metakaolin is other supplementary cementitious material. It is not a by-product generated by industrial process. It is produced by heating Kaolin to 600–900 °C. The materials used in this study are ordinary Portland cement conforming to IS 8112-1989, fine and coarse aggregate conforming to IS 383 (2011), GGBS and metakoalin. The combination of the materials used are replacing cement content by 20, 30, 40, 50% of weight of cement by GGBS and metakaolin separately with water – cement ratio of 0.45 and M25 grade of concrete. The experiments made on hardened concrete are compressive test and Split tensile strength conforming to IS516 (1964) and flexural strength conforming to ASTM C78 at 7, 14 and 28 days intervals were conducted by casting 36 specimens.

Compressive Strength Variability Limits of High-Strength Cementitious Grouts

Abstract The quality of grout becomes more important as many projects utilize precast concrete elements and systems to accelerate the delivery of a project. Also, the use of high-strength grout materials increases to properly connect high-strength concrete members. In the present study, two high-strength, cementitious grout materials were tested for their compressive strength to estimate a coefficient of variation (cv), to investigate effects due to curing condition and initial curing time, and to evaluate the strength ratio between cube and cylinder specimens. The 28-day strength of tested grouts reached more than 62.1 MPa (9,000 psi). The estimated cv was 2.3 %, which was slightly higher than the value of 2.1 % used in ASTM C109, Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or [50 mm] Cube Specimens). Based on the estimated cv, the variability limits of compressive strength in ASTM C109 can be 9.5 % (from 8.7 %) for three cubes and 8.4 % (from 7.6 %) for two cubes. There was not a substantial difference in compressive strength between water-cured and moist-cured cubes. Also, the difference of compressive strength is minimal between cubes initially cured for 24 hours and 48 hours before demolding. The compressive strength ratio of ϕ100 mm × 200 mm cylinder specimens to 50 mm cube specimens was between 0.78 and 0.90 for different test ages. The mean ratio was 0.83. These observations can help engineers and practitioners to use ASTM C109 and ASTM C1107, Standard Specification for Packaged Dry, Hydraulic-Cement Grout (Nonshrink), with more confidence when they test high-strength, cementitious grout materials.

Evaluation of the ASR of waste glass fine aggregate in alkali activated concrete by concrete prism tests

This paper examined the alkali–silica reaction (ASR) of waste glass cullet in alkali activated concrete (AAC), using the ASTM C1293 concrete prism test (CPT), in comparison to that in ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete. Test results showed that the 1-year expansions of OPC concrete and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) based AAC were 0.21% and 0.13%, respectively, which exceeded the 0.04% limit of the ASTM standard. However, both fly ash (FA) based AAC and FA-GGBFS blended AAC showed 1-year expansions below the recommended limit. The AAC with 60% GGBFS and 40% FA showed the lowest 1-year expansion of all the concretes studied. The expansions showed consistency with the physical appearance, porosity and hydroxyl ion (OH–) concentration in the solution extracted from the concrete samples. Moreover, a detailed microstructural investigation revealed severe deterioration of glass aggregates when used in both OPC concrete and alkali activated GGBFS concrete due to the formation of calcium (Ca) rich expansive ASR gel. However, the gels formed at the aggregate paste interface of alkali activated FA and FA-GGBFS concrete were not typical ASR gels, since they contained high Al/Si ratios and low Ca/Si ratios.

Predictive Model of Setting Times and Compressive Strengths for Low-Alkali, Ambient-Cured, Fly Ash/Slag-Based Geopolymers

The effects of curing temperature, blast furnace slag content, and Ms on the initial and final setting times, and compressive strengths of geopolymer paste and mortars are examined. The present work demonstrates that ambient-cured geopolymer pastes and mortars can be fabricated without requiring high alkalinity activators or thermal curing, provided that the ratios of Class F fly ash (40–90 wt%), blast furnace slag (10–60 wt%), and low alkalinity sodium silicate (Ms = 1.5, 1.7, 2.0) are appropriately balanced. Eighteen mix designs were assessed against the criteria for setting time and compressive strength according to ASTM C150 and AS 3972. Using these data, flexible and reproducible mix designs in terms of the fly ash/slag ratio and Ms were mapped and categorised. The optimal mix designs are 30–40 wt% slag with silicate modulus (Ms) = 1.5–1.7. These data were used to generate predictive models for initial and final setting times and for ultimate curing times and ultimate compressive strengths. These projected data indicate that compressive strengths >100 MPa can be achieved after ambient curing for >56 days of mixes of ≥40 wt% slag.

Experimental study on durability of red mud-blast furnace slag geopolymer mortar

Red mud (RM) is an industrial solid waste with high alkalinity. The preparation of RM as a geopolymer for construction is an effective means of recovery and treatment of RM. However, the durability of the geopolymer containing red mud is an important reason for restricting its promotion. In this paper, chloride ion permeability of geopolymer mortar and cement mortar was measured by two types of electric flux methods. Besides, corrosion potential and corrosion current of steel bars in geopolymer mortar and cement mortar conditioned in artificial climate and natural environment were studied, respectively. The results showed that the chloride ion resistance of the geopolymer was better than that of the cement mortar. The improved ASTM C1202 method was suitable for the evaluation of chloride ion permeability of geopolymer mortar since it could effectively solve the problem of long immersion time. The ASTM C876 Standard was not suitable for judging the corrosion state of steel bars in geopolymer mortar since the corrosion current method can better reflect the corrosion of steel bars in geopolymer than the corrosion potential method. The critical content of chloride ion in the geopolymer mortar (0.5 wt%) that causes the steel to passivate is significantly higher than that of cement mortar (0.3 wt%). Geopolymer mortar exhibited a stronger ability to protect steel bars from corrosion than cement mortar due to its density and resistance to ion penetration.

Chemical analysis of some Pakistani Portland cement/clinker and their compliance with ASTM standards

This is a quality control study and analysis of Portland cement taken from four Pakistani cement plants (Deewan, Kohat, Lucky and Maple Leaf). These four samples were analysed and the determination of major oxides present was carried out. Loss on ignition and the percentage of insoluble residue was also determined. Our research shows percentage of major oxides present in these four samples i.e. calcium oxide, silicon dioxide, aluminium oxide, iron oxide, sulphur trioxide and magnesium oxide. According to the American Society for Testing and Materials Cement (ASTM C150), the percentage of these oxides, loss on ignition and insoluble residue of these four plants are within the specified quality control range. The present study compared the quality of different oxides at the Portland cement brands in Pakistan. The percentages of SiO2,SO3, CaO, Al2O3,MgO and Fe2O3 were calculated according to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM C150) uniform standards. The percentages of all of the brands were within the limits specified by the standard (ASTM C150).

Effect of Aggregate Shapes on the Properties of Concrete

Aggregates constitute more than 90% of concrete and significantly determine the strength of concrete. In this study, the shape characteristics such as flakiness and elongation were determined using elongation and thickness gauge. The aggregate used for the study is granite. Aggregate crushing value and aggregate impact value tests were performed on the aggregate while slump test, water absorption test, compressive strength test and flexural strength test were carried out on concrete. A total of one hundred and thirty-two concrete cubes were produced using 1:2:4 and 1:3:6 mix each for the compressive strength test and forty-eight reinforced concrete beams were produced for flexural strength test. The slump for all the samples tested was examined to be true. The compressive strength of the concrete cube was greatly affected by the shape of aggregate used and it was noted that; for lower percentage of flaky and elongated aggregate the compressive strength is moderately high compared to when the percentage is high. The highest obtained compressive strength, 15N/mm2 is in compliance with the concrete compressive strength of normal 1:2:4 mix as stipulated in ASTM C109, Also, with 30% of elongated aggregate and 30% of flaky, the flexural strength of 7.03 N/mm2 was obtained. This shows that aggregate shape is a very important property of coarse aggregate that must be put into consideration in production of quality concrete for construction works.

Recycling of waste glass in dry-mixed concrete blocks: Evaluation of alkali-silica reaction (ASR) by accelerated laboratory tests and long-term field monitoring

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) restricts the practical applications of recycled waste glass aggregates in concrete. Recent investigations according to ASTM C1260 (laboratory test) found that ASR expansion of glass aggregates in dry-mixed mortars could be minimized as compared with the excessive ASR expansion in wet-mixed mortars. This study aimed to validate the benefit of the dry-mixed method by a long-term (15 years) field monitoring, as no study had been reported on the long-term ASR behavior of glass based dry-mixed mortars before. The results showed that the development process of the ASR gel of the glass aggregates in the dry-mixed mortars tested by the laboratory tests (ASTM C1260 and ASTM C227) was consistent with the long-term field monitoring results. According to ASTM C227 (laboratory test), after six months of the ASR test, the ASR gel was firstly identified only on the exterior surface of the glass aggregates in the macro pores of the dry-mixed mortars (exterior-glass ASR gel), which did not cause expansion. Later, the ASR gel was observed within the interior pre-existing cracks of the glass aggregates (interior-glass ASR gel). For the long-term tested blocks collected from the field, only exterior-glass ASR gel was detected in the 15 years old blocks because of the much slower ASR rate in the field. No ASR induced crack was observed. The results of the study also showed that the additional use of glass powder as a supplementary cementitious material was effective to control the formation of the deleterious interior-glass ASR gel in the dry-mixed mortars, which could further increase the usage of waste glass in concrete blocks.

Estimating Residual Flexural Strength of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Using the ASTM C1550 Panel Test

Abstract The ASTM C1550, Standard Test Method for Flexural Toughness of Fiber Reinforced Concrete (Using Centrally Loaded Round Panel), round panel test has been used for quality control of fiber-reinforced shotcrete (FRS) and concrete (FRC) on numerous construction projects internationally since it was introduced in 2003. Using this method, the post-crack performance of FRS and FRC is normally expressed in terms of energy absorption. Energy absorption is useful for performance assessment in ground support applications, such as tunnel linings, because it offers the advantage of low inherent variability. However, engineers responsible for other structural applications involving FRC are usually more familiar with designs based on flexural strength rather than energy absorption. As a result, there has been a demand that post-crack performance of ASTM C1550 round panels be based on residual flexural strength. This paper describes how residual flexural strength can be calculated from data generated by the ASTM C1550 test method, and how corrections for deviations in thickness from the required 75 mm can be implemented to reduce variability in residual strength parameters and eliminate any possible bias associated with nonstandard thickness.

Effect of Adding Sago and Sintering to the Properties of Geopolymer Mortar

Geopolymer is an alternative cementitious material produced by rich Alumino Silicate mineral materials (Si-Al) combine with alkaline activator. The objectives in this study are to introduce pores by using sago as pore former and to determine the effect of curing time and sintering process to geopolymer mortar properties. There are three compositions of mortar used in this study with different sago content (10%, 20%, and 30%) and each composition of mortar have different curing time (1, 3 and 7 days). Fly ash, silica powder, alkaline activator (sodium silicate solution (Na2SiO3) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sago were mixed together based on their composition and the mixture were put into steel cubic mould (50 mm x 50 mm x 50 mm) and left at room temperature for curing process. After the mortar reaches their curing time, it will be sintered at 1000 °C. The physical changes of the mortar were analysed before and after the sintering process. The microstructure of mortar was observed using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Compression test was done to geopolymer mortars by using ADR-Auto 3000 from ELE instrument (ASTM C109 standard) to determine the mechanical properties. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis used to determine the functional group exist in geopolymer mortar and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) was used to determine the phase. Besides that, Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) use to measure percentage elements exist in a mortar. Geopolymer mortar with 10% sago content, 7 days of curing and undergo sintering process have the highest compressive strength (13.46 N) compare to the other geopolymer mortar composition. The 30% sago mortar contain many pores after sintering contributes its brittleness and cannot be tested for compressive strength. Longer curing days give enough time for the geopolymerisation process to create strong Si-O-Al bond or Jadeite (N-A-S-H gels) while sintering process helps to speed up the geopolymerisation process take place in a mortar. Formation of jadeite (N-A-S-H gels) influenced the strength of the mortar. The increasing phase of jadeite increases the strength of the mortar. As sago content increase, the pores in geopolymer also increase but the ratio Al2O3:SiO2 decrease resulting low formation of Jadeite. Hence the compressive strength of geopolymer mortar decrease.

A study on ASR mitigation by optimized particle size distribution

In this study, the effect of alkali-silica reaction on binary cementitious composite systems incorporating fly ash or slag having optimized particle size distribution has been investigated. Specimens have been exposed to ASR effect according to ASTM C227 and ASTM C1260 methods. Test results, which were conducted after ASR exposure, have been discussed in terms of use of additive having optimized particle size distribution. The characterization of specimens was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic analyzer (EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis instrument (TGA). As a result of the experimental program, it was seen that the ASR effect is reduced with fly ash and slag replacement. Even, fly ash addition has been more effective than slag addition in reducing the ASR effect for the same additive ratio. In addition, addition of fly ash and slag with optimized particle-size distribution were found to be more effective in reducing the ASR effect as compared to addition of fly ash and slag without optimized particle-size distribution.

Cellulose nanofibres mitigate chloride ion ingress in cement-based systems

This study pioneers the use of cellulose nanofibres (CNF) as a means to restricting the chloride-ion ingress in cement based systems. Three CNF variants, differing in their carboxylate content from 0.13 to 1.13 mmol/g of the nanofibre, were introduced to paste and mortar mixtures alike, at up to 1.2% by volume fraction of the dry nanofibre. The reference mixture was a plain system, prepared with CSA Type GU Portland cement. The ingress of chloride ions was investigated per the Rapid Chloride Penetration Test (ASTM C1202) and further assessed by colorimetry. Companion studies were conducted to measure changes to the air-void network and the pH environment within. The results demonstrate that adding CNF significantly impedes chloride-ion penetration, most likely due to a lower porosity in the 10 nm–140 nm range. Higher amounts of carboxyl groups, [COOH], uniformly led to higher CNF efficiency, both for easy workability and for restricting the chloride ingress. So that, for 0.50% fibre volume fraction, and the CNF variant grafted with 1.13 mmol of carboxylate/g, the mortar witnessed a 50% drop in the measured electrical charge as well as in the depth of chloride penetration. The study indicates that the [COOH] groups scavenge the soluble calcium cations Ca2+, from the aqueous phase of the cement paste without, however, altering the pH therein.

Fly ash-based geopolymer as A4 type soil stabiliser

The goal of this paper is the use of a fly ash with high unburned carbon which generally has lower demand in the market because, according to ASTM C618, it cannot be used in Portland cement concrete. Alkali-activated cements (AACs) based on this industrial by-product were prepared using granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) and lime (L) as calcium sources. The AACs were used for A-4 type soil improvement. The unconfined compressive strength, flexure strength, and durability (volume change and mass loss) of the soil treated were evaluated. The results showed that under soaked conditions the compressive strength increased up to 119.4% at 7 days of curing and 78.6% at 28 days of curing. Additionally, the mass loss percentage after twelve (12) wetting and drying cycles was less than that allowed by Colombian specifications for stabilized soil. This demonstrated that it is possible to use this type of fly ash as an environmentally sustainable alternative to replace Portland cement as soil stabilizer in applications for road construction. The proposed solutions are thus considered competitive with current chemical stabilization techniques. However, further studies on the long-term performance of AACs stabilized soils, and the cost of applying AACs in soil stabilization are worth being conducted.

The effect of temperature on cement clicker characterızatıon wıth a 10% substıtutıon of basalt stone on limestone mass

This research was conducted to determine the effect of temperature on the chemical content and crystal structure of the cement clinker with 10% substitution of basalt on the mass of limestone. The cement clinker is made from the composition of limestone, basalt stone, clay, silica stone and iron sand. Basalt stone used came from the East Lampung area. The basalt stone has fulfilled ASTM C618 standard with a total compound of SiO2 + Al2O3 + Fe2O3 of 79.2%. The raw material was then mixed, milled, formed into pellets with a size of 0.8 - 1.4 cm and continued with combustion at calcination temperatures of 1000 ℃, 1100 ℃ and 1200 with a holding time of 2 hours. Based on the results of the XRF test (X-Ray Fluorecence) of the three cement clinker samples with variations in temperature used, the sample is closer to the standard at a temperature of 1000 ℃. For the XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) test results, the three samples have tetragonal, monoclinic, rhombohedral, and orthorhombic crystal structures. As for the MO test results, there was a strong binding between iron sand, limestone, clay, and silica sand characterized by a smooth surface while basalt stones that look like black holes were not completely bound.

A study on reinforcement corrosion of concrete structures near coastal areas of Oman

A lot of buildings and structures in coastline areas facing many issues such as huge number of cracks shown on the wall structures. Moreover, this issue is affecting the aesthetic and the beauty of the buildings. Research discover that reasons behind this problem is concrete corrosion or especially corrosion of steel that causes enormous damage to the structure. This issue starts when the chloride is containing in concrete and due to formation of the oxide film. Rapid chloride permeability test according to ASTM C1202 is performed to study the behavior of different concrete mixes such as normal concrete, concrete with fly ash and concrete with Ground Granulated Blast-furnace slag(GGBFS). In this experiment when the concrete blocks are dipped into the solution, the electric current passes through it in order to determine the permeability of the material. In addition, corrosion acceleration test is performed to observe the electric current flow through the different mixes with different time intervals and days when it is merged to sodium chloride (NaCl). From the rapped chloride permeability test results, it is found that the permeability of chloride of all mixes is categorized as a moderate. From the corrosion acceleration test, it is found that all specimen of concrete containing fly ash had an attack at the first days of the test. A little rust appears on the normal concrete mix in the second week as the magnitude of electric current passing through it was not stable.

Experimental evaluation of freeze-thaw durability of pervious concrete

The ASTM C666 procedure is the common test method used for evaluating the freeze-thaw durability of conventional concrete, and it has been adapted for evaluating the freeze-thaw resistance of pervious concrete; however, it is argued the test method does not represent the field conditions of neither conventional nor pervious concrete. This study mainly focused on an experimental program to evaluate the freeze-thaw durability of pervious concrete specimens using the JC446-91 test method, which measures the change in compressive strength and mass after exposure to freeze-thaw cycles, as an alternative for ASTM C666. Various parameters affecting the freeze-thaw durability of pervious concrete, namely water to cement ratio (W/C), air entrainment, inclusion of sand, and coarse aggregate size were experimentally examined, and the results were evaluated using statistical analysis. It was observed that replacing 8% of coarse aggregate with sand and using a higher W/C resulted in higher strength and an improvement in the freeze-thaw durability. Although the positive effect of air-entraining admixture (AEA) on freeze-thaw durability of pervious concrete has been manifested by previous researchers, it was not clearly observed in this study. Also, change in coarse aggregate size did not significantly affect the strength and freeze-thaw durability of pervious concrete. This study revealed that the conditions and number of cycles used in JC446-91 were inadequate to evaluate the freeze-thaw durability of pervious concrete, especially for strong mixes. Therefore, considering the criticisms against ASTM C666 in representing field conditions of pervious concrete, more compatible and realistic test methods are required to evaluate the freeze-thaw durability of pervious concrete.

Flexural and Splitting Tensile Strength of High Strength Concrete with Diatomite Micro Particles as Mineral Additive

This paper presents the flexural and splitting tensile strength of high strength concrete (HSC) with diatomite micro particles (DMP) as a mineral additive. In order to have micro particles, the diatomite from Aceh Besar District was ground and sieved with sieve size of 250 mm. The particles were then calcined at the temperature of 600 °C for 5 hours. Four mixtures were designed with different DMP to binder ratio (DMP/b). The ratio was 0%, 5%, 10% and 15%, and the water to binder ratio was 0.3. Four beam specimens with a size of 10 cm × 10 cm × 40 cm and four cylinder-specimens with 10 cm diameter and 20 cm high were prepared for each mixture. Flexural and splitting tensile tests were conducted based on ASTM C78 and ASTM C496/496M. The maximum flexural strength was reached at DMP/b of 5% while the maximum splitting tensile strength was reached at DMP/b of 0%.